


alright

by seeselene



Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: Awkward Tension, Canon Compliant, Character Study, Conversations, Gen, How Do I Tag, Julia's heart isn't in the game, Self-Indulgent, Zari is trying... kind of, i think, idk why I like agent zari so much but I do so uh, ish? a little bit, mentions of Carmen Sandiego and Chase Devineaux
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-16 11:34:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29699928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seeselene/pseuds/seeselene
Summary: Agent Argent has something weighing on her mind. Agent Zari is given an uncomfortable task, and struggles to carry it out. In the resulting conversation, neither of them have a good time.Set somewhere in S2.
Relationships: Julia "Jules" Argent & Zari
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	alright

**Author's Note:**

> This was self-indulgence at its finest, but I figured I'd put it up here for anyone who enjoys interaction-y drabbles of this type.  
> This was mostly me playing around with how to portray Zari and get the hang of writing Julia, and I really wanted to try writing an interaction between them and letting it go where it goes. It ended up spiralling into whatever the hell this is. Sorry if either of them are out of character!
> 
> I also haven't written fanfic in a long while, and to post at that, as well as being too shy to ask someone to look over it, so please bear with me!

Agent Zari's pen was ringing. Taking it out of her pocket in a smooth movement that suggested she's done it many times, she gave it a click and spoke into it.

"Yes, Chief?"

"Agent Zari. Is Agent Argent with you?" Chief's voice came through the pen, somewhat tinny this time around.

Zari looked down at the pen. She had to wonder for a moment why Chief did not call Agent Argent directly-- did they need to speak about her without her being present? Setting the thought aside, she stopped at the end of the hallway near a fire exit, where no one was around. Looking out the window to the ground far beneath them, tiny cars and specks of people moving about, she answered shortly.

"She's doing research in our room. I'm out doing a sweep."

"Ah, good. See to it that Agent Argent is alright," Chief paused, as if she could hear Zari raise an eyebrow in the silence. "She seemed distressed when I spoke to her earlier, but she didn't tell me anything. Maybe she'll be more open with you instead of with me. I don't want her distracted on the field tomorrow. Maybe you can get to know each other a little better, too, considering you'll be partners for a while."

"Understood," Zari said, a little doubtfully, although it would have been hard to tell. She tucked the pen back into her pocket when it stopped glowing blue.

As she walked back from her brief survey of the floor, the clicking of her heels muted by the carpeted floor, she couldn't help but wonder about it. What exactly was she supposed to do, start prying into her partner's life? Engage in pleasantries and inevitably learn nothing? She didn't imagine that anyone would be particularly willing to confide to her anything bothering them, unless maybe it was work-related, and even then she found that possibility highly unlikely. Maybe she should literally just give Argent a once-over. The thought was tempting, but Chief had clearly been _suggesting_ more than that. In her years with ACME she's never been given an order quite like this one. Then again, Agent Argent seemed to be one of Chief's newest projects, and was being very well cared for since joining the agency, for the most part. Briefly rolling her eyes at the situation, she tapped her card against the scanner by the door, and was greeted by a beep and a mechanical click.

"Agent Argent," Zari nodded to Julia when she opened the door to their hotel room. The accommodations were comfortable, not lavish but pleasant enough to stay in while remaining mostly practical. Julia nodded back to her with a quiet "Agent Zari" as acknowledgement, seated at the table by the kitchen isle. She had a book in hand and some papers in front of her. She was still in her dress shirt and skirt, but had taken the jacket off along with her tie. Zari noted all of this before focusing on her partner.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. Again."

"That's good to hear," Julia said, her face easy to read as usual. She was trying to look unruffled, posture relaxed, but something in her expression still seemed wary and tired. When nothing else followed the brief exchange she looked back down at her book, and Zari walked past Julia to take off her gloves and pick up a bottle of water.

Zari could see quite plainly that there was indeed something on her partner's mind, could tell earlier and had not paid any mind to it, but now she had no idea how to breach the topic. And if it was about Sandiego's potential to be a good guy or whatever she kept proposing-- well, she's heard quite a bit of that already. She wasn't eager to hear any more tonight. She took a sip of water and turned to Julia.

"You alright?"

Julia looked up at Zari, not expecting such a question. Zari's voice had been not much different from how she normally spoke, forward and dry. As usual, Zari's expression didn't give much away either, those vigilant eyes watching her.

"Yes, thank you. Why do you ask?"

Zari watched as Julia set down the book, an inquisitive look on her face as she returned the question. Zari set down her bottle of water as well. Of course, she knew that this kind of question wasn't the norm from her; most conversations they've had were directly related to whatever their current mission was, or else it was silence. Zari never initiated small talk. She briefly considered being honest, but if Chief had gone out of her way to asked in private for Zari to do this, then that was definitely not the idea.

"Just looking out for you. You seemed troubled today." She said, crossing her arms and leaning against the kitchen isle. She wasn't lying, technically.

"I.." Julia smiled slightly in response, a nervous, uncertain thing, but hesitated. "Well... I'm not really... no, it's nothing."

"Are you certain? It doesn't sound like it's nothing," Zari pressed, raising an eyebrow.

Julia sighed, putting her hands in her lap as her expression turned melancholy. "I... may be questioning if I'm cut out for this job. Or if I should be here."

So that was it. Zari gestured for her to continue, face carefully neutral. Part of her wondered at how easy it was to get Julia to tell her _work partner_ something like this; maybe it made sense, as they had to work together now, but then again, Zari could very easily report this to Chief, and be in the right for it. Her orders were to make sure Argent was okay, but Chief could simply ask about it and Zari would tell, surely that was obvious. Such comments were generally not well-received either, in an organization like ACME where simply being there usually meant going for the long game-- at least, to Zari, it certainly felt that way. She, at the very least, was unimpressed, and she's not sure why Julia would think telling her would be a good idea. She wasn't exactly known for being supportive.

Then again, maybe instead of actually thinking of leaving, she just needed a little reassurance that she was doing well. Someone like her working with someone like Devineaux might have been worse of a work dynamic than she'd thought. Still, for Julia's intellect and skill, she still seemed to be somewhat naive sometimes, and this was yet another reminder. A certain superthief came to Zari's mind unbidden again, and she frowned when Julia's voice broke through her thoughts.

"Agent Zari, if I may ask, why do you work with ACME?"

Zari didn't respond for a moment, watching Julia. Julia watched her back, eyebrows drawn together in a troubled but earnest expression.

"It works out with my ideals and capabilities," She eventually answered. "Doesn't hurt that it pays well, too."

She didn't continue beyond that, even when Julia tilted her head. Again, she wasn't lying, technically. It was a vague but truthful response.

"Is that all? Could you... elaborate, perhaps?"

She blinked coolly down at Julia, and a part of her thought about what else she _could_ say to that, even as she countered with a question of her own in an attempt to get back on track, away from her own life.

"Why are you asking? If you were unfit for the job, Chief would have told you already. Like your previous partner."

"I... I guess so," Julia looked down at her lap in discomfort. The mention of Devineaux seemed to dampen her spirits even further. "I just suppose I might be thinking twice about this. I don't know if... it aligns with my ideals, as you said. I do like being here, don't get me wrong, but..."

"You like this job but it doesn't align with your ideals?" Zari scoffed. Her eyes narrowed, not in a spiteful way, exactly, but she was clearly unimpressed. Apparently with Agent Argent, all roads lead back to Sandiego. "This is about Carmen Sandiego again, isn't it."

"No! Well, maybe," Julia said defensively. She adjusted her glasses in a self-conscious manner. "I just wonder if there's a better way to go about this, is all. I respect my place in ACME and I do want to help catch criminals. She's just... well, I really do think she's different, and I don't know how long I can go about like this."

 _How long you can stand us undermining your opinions regarding a criminal?_ Zari thought to herself. _Well. If there was any definitive proof, maybe I could consider it. But there isn't._

"Maybe you should try bringing that up with Chief," She said instead. She can't help the hint of sarcasm that bleeds into her words. "I'm sure she'll have something to say about it." _Probably not what you'd like to hear, but something, nonetheless._

"You know, I _am_ aware of your opinion on me," Julia suddenly said into the brief silence that followed Zari's comment, in a tone of voice that just bordered on being indignant. She looked up at Zari with a challenge in her eyes. "You don't want to be partnered with me, do you? You act as if I am a child who's always wrong for acknowledging my emotions and my instincts. You think I'm a liability, and that I'm wrong about her."

And the issue is that she pretty much hits the nail on its head. It's not like Zari _hates_ Julia, she isn't that petty when it comes to work, and it's not like she's looking to be reassigned, but...

Suddenly, she remembers her earlier thought about Devineaux's likely impact on his partner. This wasn't just about Carmen Sandiego, much as she kind of wishes it was. She clenched her jaw uncomfortably, recovering from her moment of wide-eyed surprise at Julia's forwardness. She hadn't exactly been expecting Julia to snap at her like that. In hindsight, though, she supposes it only made sense. Zari can't blame her.

"I never said that-- most of that," Zari countered as she turned with her hands behind her back, hiding her face from view. "It could be worse, honestly. Like Chief said, you're smart, and you don't go running around like a headless chicken, for the most part. Even if a bit unorthodox at times, you deliver good results. Your skills suit ACME. Chief was right in saying you were sharp when we first met. I wouldn't look past that just because we disagree over Carmen Sandiego."

The silence was awkward. Zari held back a disgruntled sigh. She suddenly felt the tiredness sink in with vengeance, the one she just can't shake, always waiting for when she lets her guard down. In the reflection of the glass door to the balcony, she could see Julia, hands balled up against the table, eyebrows knit together in a troubled look. She looked upset. Like Zari said, she's sharp; Julia can probably tell that she's purposely avoiding giving a more direct answer. Not that it's unlike her. Well, she's not exactly saying anything untrue either.

In a swift motion, Zari slid the balcony door open and stepped out, fishing her phone from her pocket. She took a deep breath as a light breeze swept into the room, letting it ease her tension a little bit. Before she lifted the phone to her ear, she turned her head to give Julia a glance.

"Julia."

Her partner looked up again in surprise at that, dark eyes meeting her own. Zari sighed through her nose.

"Really, you're alright."

Then she closed the door between them.

**Author's Note:**

> hahah they're not on the same page or wavelength and i enjoy it
> 
> so yeah this drabble was just me struggling how to write how i see zari's weird balance of professionalism and saltiness while also putting in a touch of her trying to not be a total prick. i intend to refine how i characterize her but for now you get this mess
> 
> me, nudging agent zari towards the Julia Argent Appreciation Squad: don't be shy :)))  
> (don't get me wrong tho I really love how salty and ":///" she is. she's a big big fav)
> 
> might post more if i write more for CS, but seeing as i took way too long to post this out of nervousness i'm not sure about that. either way, thank you for reading this!


End file.
